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Florian Schneider has died

bbc.co.uk

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Re: Florian Schneider has died

#111

Post by dvirsky »

jacquesm wrote: post #106
itronitron wrote: post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm guessing that, in the process of translating lyrics to another language, word choices are made based on a preference for keeping the original rhyming scheme and rhythm. Alternatively, it could just be a bias resulting from the listener's experience with each language.

Very true in the case of Kraftwerk, what is interesting that they tried at all, probably simply to reach a larger audience commercially, German lyrics wouldn't go very far in the English speaking world. Even Nena translated 99 lufballons. English is much more compact, so there is quite a bit of filler words to match the music.

Part of it might just be due to not being native to English. Even if you're fluent, translating lyrics is super hard. I've seen many examples of great songs written in my native language (Hebrew) that just sounded so shallow and lowbrow when translated to English to appeal to a wider market.

Re: Florian Schneider has died

#112

Post by Lio »

Ididntdothis wrote: post #2

Now their music is kind of obvious but when you think about the scene back then it’s pretty amazing what they did.

I totally agree with this.

I think it’s a sign of their brilliance. Their music is like an algorithm or scientific theory. Being more complex would not make it better.

For example (and IMHO) if you’re trying to make a techno track you’re not going to make anything better than Numbers.

Numbers isn’t techno. Techno as genre didn’t exist before some guys in Detroit heard that track.

Numbers is what techno wants to be. You can’t remake Citizen Kane and improve it. You can only do something different.

Re: Florian Schneider has died

#113

Post by Lio »

nine_k wrote: post #46
Ididntdothis wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I didn’t mean the exact music as obvious but the style and tools they used. Same for electric guitars and the effects being used. Now totally normal but there was a time when people had to come up with that idea.

OK, not LZ but Jimi Hendrix maybe? Someone who defined new sound which is "obvious" and widespread now?

Personally I think you’d have to go back further to find an equivalent. Maybe Bo Diddily?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bo_Diddley

Re: Florian Schneider has died

#114

Post by ratww »

bogomipz wrote: post #58
TheOtherHobbes wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They often designed the units in outline but other people implemented the ideas - like the Synthanorma sequencer, which was a product in its own right and eventually evolved into the Doepfer MAQ. There's some mystery about who designed their robo-speech box [1], because Schneider (and colleagues) actually patented it. [1] Not the vocoder, but the chip-speech system used on The Mix.

Synthorama was created by Matten and Wiechers of Bonn[1] Nobody in Kraftwerk was an electrical engineer. I am not sure how you "outline" a synthesizer unless you mean writing a schematic, something nobody in the band could do. I'm not trying to detract from their genius in any way but the idea that they created their own gear is largely folklore. [1] https://sdiy.info/wiki/Synthesizerstudio_Bonn

Their early drum pads were created and assembled by themselves using knitting needles and circuit bending, though.

Re: Florian Schneider has died

#115

Post by CaciaraAsAServi »

jacquesm wrote: post #105
dvirsky wrote: post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Interesting. Can you give an example? I've never bothered to translate the German lyrics.

Compare Sie ist ein Model und sie sieht gut aus Ich nähm sie heut gerne mit zu mir nach Haus Sie wirkt so kühl, an sie kommt niemand ran Doch vor der Kamera da zeigt sie was sie kann Sie trinkt in Nachtclubs immer Sekt (Korrekt!) Und hat hier alle Männer abgecheckt Im Scheinwerferlicht ihr junges Lächeln strahlt Sie sieht gut aus und Schönheit wird bezahlt Sie stellt sich zur Schau für das Konsumprodukt Und wird von…

Heh, I remember learning some German just to understand their lyrics, some years ago.

Funniest one I remember is, in Computerwelt, Flensburg und das BKA / Haben unsere Daten da... where BKA is the federal German police and Flensburg is the city where they held some data about people (or still do, I don't know).

Re: Florian Schneider has died

#116

Post by fit2rule »

gdubs wrote: post #48

Legend. I saw Kraftwerk live years ago and it was one of the most overwhelming performances I’ve ever seen in my life. Beneath the bouncy, poppy hooks there was a massive darkness — the pairing of visuals with the music really drove that home. (The only other live musical performance that I recall giving me a similar feeling was the band ‘Godspeed You Black Emperor‘, who also made use of projected imagery in such a t…

I love Kraftwerk, but didn't enjoy their show.

It felt high tech but low effort, and I know folks are okay with that, but it all felt so trade-show/product demo and not rock show. I would have been happier if it was a bar and not an arena.

This may be because: The Knife and New Order, though. Much better shows ..

/ymmv

Re: Florian Schneider has died

#117

Post by bogomipz »

jacquesm wrote: post #98
bogomipz wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Synthorama was created by Matten and Wiechers of Bonn[1] Nobody in Kraftwerk was an electrical engineer. I am not sure how you "outline" a synthesizer unless you mean writing a schematic, something nobody in the band could do. I'm not trying to detract from their genius in any way but the idea that they created their own gear is largely folklore. [1] https://sdiy.info/wiki/Synthesizerstudio_Bonn

You can outline a synthesizer in the same way people that couldn't program their way out of a wet paper bag outline software: by writing a specification of what it should be able to do. Implementing that specification is then the job of the electrical engineers. If we're willing to give Steve Jobs credit for the iPhone I think we should be equally willing to give Schneider & company credit for their ideas that were i…

Except they didn't write down a "specification." They simply asked Matten & Wiechers to come up with something that could automate their tape loops for Trans Europe Express. Dirk Matten & Hans-Joachim Wiechers both designed and created the Synthorma to handle that task. This is well-documented. So no it was not the same a writing a technical specification any more than I'm writing a "specification" when I call my local pizza place and ask for a large pepperoni.

Re: Florian Schneider has died

#118

Post by krtkush »

jacquesm wrote: post #101
krtkush wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I didn't realize they localized these. Which is why this is my favorite version of the song. They kind of evolved it with the Hiroshima accident.

I think you have your geography and timeline mixed up a bit.

Oh crap! I meant Fukushima.

Re: Florian Schneider has died

#119

Post by bogomipz »

ratww wrote: post #114
bogomipz wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Synthorama was created by Matten and Wiechers of Bonn[1] Nobody in Kraftwerk was an electrical engineer. I am not sure how you "outline" a synthesizer unless you mean writing a schematic, something nobody in the band could do. I'm not trying to detract from their genius in any way but the idea that they created their own gear is largely folklore. [1] https://sdiy.info/wiki/Synthesizerstudio_Bonn

Their early drum pads were created and assembled by themselves using knitting needles and circuit bending, though.

No this is not correct. The drums were just a Maestro Rhythm King Unit[1]. The pads had no dynamics at all. The dynamics were basically a foot pedal that controlled the volume. Both the volume pedals and the guts of the Maestro Rhythm King are visible in their 1975 appearance of on the BBC's "Tomorrow's World" where they play Autobahn[2]. There was no "circuit bending" going on.

[1] http://www.maindragmusic.com/ca-1970-maestro-rhythm-king-mrk...

[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJ2goij2J94

Re: Florian Schneider has died

#120

Post by ratww »

bogomipz wrote: post #119
ratww wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Their early drum pads were created and assembled by themselves using knitting needles and circuit bending, though.

No this is not correct. The drums were just a Maestro Rhythm King Unit[1]. The pads had no dynamics at all. The dynamics were basically a foot pedal that controlled the volume. Both the volume pedals and the guts of the Maestro Rhythm King are visible in their 1975 appearance of on the BBC's "Tomorrow's World" where they play Autobahn[2]. There was no "circuit bending" going on. [1] http://www.maindragmusic.com/ca-19…

"Circuit bending" implies they're using an existing circuit. They connected the pads directly to the innards of the drum machine. I consider this circuit bending.

"The pads had no dynamics at all" doesn't mean they didn't manufacture the pads.

You seem to have an axe to grind here. IMO this is not only bad form in the HN itself, but also very distasteful in a thread about someone who just passed away. I won't answer you anymore.

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